316 PERCHERS AND SINGERS 



In Montana, the Western Meadowlark 1 quite wearied 

 me by the tiresome iteration, day after day, of its one short, 

 seven-word song. This was it: 



i 



As our "outfit" pulled over the smoothly shaven Mis- 

 souri-Yellowstone divide, in the month of May, I think we 

 heard that song repeated a thousand times, or less ; and when 

 the wind blew hard for five long days without intermission 

 even that cheerful welcome at last became irritating. 



The eastern Meadowlark inhabits the eastern half of the 

 United States, and the western species begins at the western 

 edge of Iowa and Missouri; but neither of them belongs to the 

 Lark Family! 



The Baltimore Oriole, 2 or Hang-Nest, has beautiful 

 plumage of orange and black, a very pleasing song, good habits, 

 and therefore it is one of our feathered favorites. Either when 

 perching or on the wing, it is a very graceful bird. It is the 

 most skilful builder in North America, and constructs a 

 strong and durable hanging nest which is a marvel of intel- 

 ligent and skilful effort. The Oriole does not believe in 

 having boys make collections of Oriole eggs. The outer- 

 most branches of a very tall and very drooping elm are par- 

 ticularly suited to its views of an ideal building site. 



The nest of this Oriole is bound to create in the mind of 

 any one who examines it attentively a high degree of admira- 

 tion for the mental capacity of its builder. Its superstruc- 



1 Stur-nel'la neg-lec'ta. Average length, about 9.50 inches. 



2 Ic'te-rus gal-bu'la. Length, 8 inches. 



